Suicide Awareness

Today in society, people are always preoccupied with how they look, what they wear, what they listen to, what they watch and hundreds of other things. They think they have to be one certain way in order to be accepted. Everyone is trying to fit in with the lines that society draws for how people should live; and its not helping people what-so-ever.  Of course, society’s basis on things isn’t the only reason people – especially young adults – are getting so stressed and self conscious about whom they are. Society, school, other people and just life in general can make younger kids feel as if there is no way out and that the only alternative to getting away from it all is a terrifying idea – suicide.

   However, there are several ways to see the signs and help prevent suicide. People recover every day and it’s a long road but it is achievable.  Most people do not really know how to tell the signs of someone suicidal, here are some things to look for if you feel like you are in that situation.

1.  If you hear a person saying things such as:

      “Don’t worry, I wont be around to deal with that”

      “I won’t be in your way much longer”

      “There’s nothing I can do to make it better”

  Or any negative comments about their life or just life in general, it would be best to take this seriously as it may be a suicide warning sign.

2. If you notice someone doing something like:

       Giving away personal items that hold special value

       Signs of planning a suicide such as gathering a weapon or writing a note

3. In some cases people will be suffering from severe depression. Common signs include:

   A change in the person’s sleeping patterns

   A significant change in the person’s weight or appetite

   Loss of interest in things or activities

   Loss of energy

While some of these things seem sort of impossible to try and help, there are always precautions you can take to help a person struggling with a situation like this.  Most people will not directly ask for help, but that does not mean it is not wanted.  Give them help anyway, you just might prevent them from doing something irreversible. Here are some ways you can help prevent it.

   1. Simply have a conversation with the person about what they are trying to do. Just start a conversation by telling them you’ve felt concerned about them lately and you wanted to make sure they were alright. The person might open up a little and tell you something about how they are feeling.

2. Respond quickly in a crisis situation. If the person has a very set plan that they are going to commit suicide, call a crisis center, dial 911 or remove any potential lethal objects from the area. But do not leave the suicidal person alone.

3. Offer help and support to the person that is dealing with this. Be empathetic and make sure they know you are there and you care. It takes a lot of effort to help someone who is suicidal, and it may stir up many difficult emotions. As you’re helping a suicidal person, remember to consult someone you trust to help you along the way also.

If we can care about each person dealing with something like suicide, we can reduce the rates of suicide by at least 25% in the world. If you know someone who is suicidal or you yourself are, help is just around the corner. There are also several suicide hotlines available to anyone in need. Suicide is a dire situation that should always be paid attention to.

@Leah_Onomatopea